


FtH: Rebirth

by KH_FF (UnknownUnseenUnheard), UnknownUnseenUnheard



Series: From the Heart Verse [8]
Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: And angst, Bartz babbles, Bartz remembers Dissidia, Gen, Humor, Squall Leonhart is a Team Mom, and is secretly a cat, he has no filter, noctis has amnesia, physically or verbally, yes both
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-03-07 04:26:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18865681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownUnseenUnheard/pseuds/KH_FF, https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownUnseenUnheard/pseuds/UnknownUnseenUnheard
Summary: Part of the From the Heart Series, but can be real as a standalone.After the fall of Destiny Islands, Bartz and Noctis find themselves in Traverse Town. Which, Leon would normally not mind, except Bartz won't stop insisting that he can't call him 'the same name as Firion's bitchy brother, are you crazy, no,' and things become a bit more complicated than expected





	1. In Which Bartz Refuses to Call Squall Leon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edit May 25th: Added recap

A/N: This one is probably gonna be the shortest of the lot tbh.

It's also the one that leans heaviest on the previous installment.

More specifically, From the Heart II: Destiny's Fall chapters 3 and 6

Note: There will be no slash for Leon and Bartz in this story, mostly because Bartz is physically 14 and I do not condone pedophilia in any way, shape, or form

Published: 5/17/2019

Warnings: None

Featured Character: 

Bartz

Supporting: 

Cid Highwind

Squall | Leon

Faris (Flashback only)

Antagonist: 

Ardyn (Flashback only)

* * *

**Recap(Because this one does, in fact, need a recap):**

_NOTE: scenes are taken straight out of From the Heart: Destiny’s Fall_

_"Ardyn." Noctis spat the word out, voice dipped in so much hate that it was a wonder it didn't summon an army of Heartless._  
  
_Ah. So there was more of his memory coming back than expected. Good, good. That would make tearing the boy to pieces all the more satisfying._  
  
_"You know this guy?" the other teen, Bartz, exclaimed, eyes darting back and forth between Ardyn and Noctis._  
  
_Noctis frowned. A hiss escaped his lips as he clutched at his head. Ah. So utterly adorable._  
  
_"I… I don't… Maybe?"_  
  
_Ardyn smiled._  
  
_"I-"_  
  
_Ardyn did not like being interrupted. He did not like getting caught by surprise. Typically, he took steps to avoid this and, typically, they panned out nicely. Every once and awhile, however, no amount of foresight or planning can keep you from getting caught by surprise._  
_  
__A boot smashing into your face is a very surprising event and not one that Ardyn would recommend. The taste alone was atrocious._

 _Ardyn looked up. Of all the people he expected to confront him on this island, this was not it but, admittedly, he should have not been so surprised. Skuld had warned them that there were three awake on the island._ _  
_

_And last, and definitely least as far as they were concerned, was Faris Scherwiz, priority who-the-hell-cares._

_A captain of the seas… with an affinity for fire. What a dichotomy of a person, much like Ardyn himself. A natural born healer, corrupted by the raw destructiveness of the gods._ _  
_

_The woman strode forth, dagger held glittering in her hand until she stood before the brats. A dagger that she lifted, power bring the top at him._  
_  
__"Enguard, bragard." The Pirate King(and Ardyn still didn't get why she wasn't called Queen) snared._

 _"Warriors of Light went out of style, my dear." Ardyn informed her. "Stand aside, and you may yet live. I only want the boy, we need not-"_  
  
_"Mother of the earth, here my call!"_  
_  
__Faris slammed a palm into the ground and the earth rebelled, rising up in deadly body piercing spires. Ardyn leapt in midair, allowing his weapons to swirl around him as he prepared himself._

* * *

_Ardyn lifted a hand, conjuring another barrier. It surrounded him, a sphere of protection against the fire and water which beat against it relentlessly. Ardyn let the barrier pulse out, blasting the water away from him and towards the area around him._

_Enough was enough. He was going to skewer this woman so many different ways no amount of regeneration spells would sa-_  
  
_Ardyn hadn't seen. He couldn't have seen. The blinding flare of his barrier pulsing out and knocking the waves away had blinded him. He didn't see, and he had no defense. You can only phase when you see it coming, after all._  
  
_An arrow, smoldering, searing, and hot blasted forth, smashing right into the Accursed' forehead. It went right through, burning its path from one end to another, leaving nothing but a gaping hole as Ardyn fell, eyes locked wide by the shock._  
_  
__The last thing he registered was Faris, standing far away, bow held in her hands, staring at him through ice cold eyes that reminded him of Shiva._

* * *

_"Dude? Did you see that!" Bartz yelled in excitement. "Ardyn was like, move aside, and Faris was like, make me bitchy boy, and Ardyn was like ha, don't make me laugh, and Faris was like I'm gonna wreck you and set a skunk on him!" Bartz babbled._  
  
_"... Immortal." Noctis murmured, lost in his own world._  
  
_Bartz blinked._  
  
_"Huh? What? Noct. Noct, are you listening to me?" Bartz whined._  
  
_Faris was striding towards them. "Boys, we need to get out of here, now. There's no telling how many more of them there are." Faris said, completely serious, a sharp contrast to Bartz own bubbling excitement._  
  
_Bartz turned to her and smiled._  
  
_"We'll win, piece of cake! Hey, why didn't you mention you were a super badass warrior?" Bartz interrogated, feeling hurt for some reason beyond him that Faris hadn't trusted him with her secret._  
  
_Which was ridiculous since Bartz hardly knew her._  
  
_"I-" Fairs began, looking slightly uncomfortable._  
  
_"Immortal…" Noctis repeated again. Bartz turned as the other teens eyes widened, looking up in alarm. "Fairs, he's immortal! Ardyn is immortal, he can't be killed!" Noctis shouted._  
  
_Wait, what?_  
  
_Bartz turned back toward Faris as the woman's eyes widened. Only then did Bartz notice it. Only then did he see what he should have been seeing all along._  
  
_The shadows, collecting themselves. A skeletal figure, bones burned and ashen even as flesh and muscle began to knit itself back together, looming behind Faris._  
  
_Faris spun… And an arm shot out, ripping straight through her chest as A_ _rdyn's expression turned feral and victorious._  
_  
"That was most impressive, my dear. But… I am afraid that it is now my turn."_

* * *

_On Destiny Islands, Ardyn held Faris' soul in hand, her heart, everything that she was, and did the unthinkable._

_Within the Final World, Faris screamed as the glow began to rip at her, cracks appearing on her skin, light bursting forth like that of a crystal._

_"Death has no hold on one that can reincarnate like you, Guardian of Fire. This is a power no mortal should have… And a power I've trained to destroy. This soul… Shatter and fade, break apart!" Ardyn poured darkness into the soul, destructive, corrosive._  
  
_There was no defense._  
  
_There could be no defense, not against this._  
_  
_ Faris screamed again and Chirithy cried out, backing away as Faris' spiritual form cackled and exploded.

 _Ardyn smiled. Smiled, as Faris fell before him, broken in ways that could never, ever be fixed. Smiled as Bartz tossed his head back and screamed._  
  
_Smiled, because it had worked._  
_  
__Smiled, because he had taken a soul in his hands and smithed it, destroyed it into nothing. Smiled, because Noctis… Noctis was next._

* * *

_"Now, enough of these games." Ardyn stated before phasing. Noctis screamed as Ardyn appeared before him, Armiger swirling. Noctis fell back, scrambling to get away while Ardyn looked above him, smug. "Ah, child, without your memories you are nothing but a mewling quim, waiting to be slain."_

_Thump thump_  
  
_"Who the hell are you?!"_  
  
_Ardyn's hand reached out, cupping Noctis' cheek in hand._  
  
_"Noctis Lucis Caelum. The chosen child. Somnus' living legacy. The boy who was suppose to put an end to all things. The boy who failed." Ardyn snarled, smacking Noctis down with rage. Noctis fell with a cry, back hitting the ground as Ardyn advanced, looming over him._  
  
_Thump thump thump_  
  
_Darkness began to ooze from the accursed as the weapons spun around him._  
  
_"But, no more. As I've destroyed her heart, her soul, I will destroy yours. I will lay your existence asunder, and only then- only then will I finally be free!" Ardyn took a weapon in hand, brandishing the blade. "Your soul, I will carve out and leave in tatters. This song finally comes to a close, and not soon enough it was."_  
  
_Thump thump thump thump thump THUMP THUMP THUMP_  
_  
_ **_Crack_ **

_Lights, white and pure, ripping along his psyche. Cracks in the wall, shattering away at last. Shattering, as the flood finally poured in, memory after memory surging in all at once._  
  
_From his crouched position, Bartz tossed his head back and screamed. From his eyes burst white and ethereal light, shining forth. Around him in a perfect circle, a pillar of wind blasted into the air, ripping it's ways into the broken skies above Destiny Islands._  
  
_Ardyn froze, turning in surprise at the newest development._  
  
_He didn't turn quick enough._  
_  
__Two feet slammed down into the ground before him. Before The Accursed could even think about the counter attack, a fist was coming straight up in a punishing uppercut that nearly blasted his jaw to pieces._

_Noctis watched with wide eyes as Bartz stood before him, shimmering with power. A halo seemed locked around his skin, white and green as the wind whistled around him, eyes gazing coldly at Ardyn as the cursed man managed to somehow land on his feet._

_“You have got…" Ardyn hissed, rubbing at his jaw as he snapped it back in place, "To be kidding me."_  
  
_Bartz took a step forward and Noctis couldn't help but take a step back. He had known Bartz all of his life, but all of a sudden the person he remembered and the person who stood before him were two entirely different things, and he didn't know what to say or do._  
  
_Bartz lifted his hand and once more the red sword flashed into his hands. But, that wasn't all. His clothes melted away, replaced by a suit of red armor as Bartz brandished the weapon in hand before pointing the tip at Ardyn._  
  
_"Bartz Klauser. Guardian of the Wind, at your service."_

* * *

_A sphere of wind suddenly surrounded him, encasing him in its confines as Ardyn was battered within in it._

_"What- what was this?" Ardyn shouted out, attempting to get free._  
  
_Bartz appeared before him, eyes glowing once more. One shimmered a glowering red, like an ember in the fire. The other shinned white and green._  
  
_"I can't kill you, Ardyn. I can't fix you either. I don't have the strength for that kind of thing! So this… This is the next best thing!" The boy yelled, elements swirling around him._  
  
_Cold realization seeped into Ardyn. Cold realization, a feeling of utter terror._  
  
_Memories besieged him. Memories of chains and a prison, of Angelgard and the two millennia he'd laid tied there, unable to leave, unable to move, entrapped._  
  
_Sealed away._  
_  
__"Faris would never have tried this. She couldn't, with just fire. But, fire and wind? And, this Island, empowering me?" Bartz spoke, before suddenly rocks began to swirl around Ardyn in a ring outside the wind sphere. These were quickly followed by one of water. "A four pronged Elemental seal, the same that was used to seal Exdeath away for decades. Congrats, you made me pull out the big guns."_

_"No! NO, anything- ANYTHING BUT THIS!" Ardyn screamed, fists beating uselessly against the barrier. No matter how many times he called, his weapons would not come. His magic would not work. The binding… The binding was working._

_Then, the boy did it again. That look of utter pity that set Ardyn's blood on fire._  
  
_"I'm sorry. This is the only way. You're too strong for anything else, and killing you only stops you for minutes. Now, fade away."_  
  
_Then, the boy jumped and flipped. From his leg came a burst of fire that wrapped a third and final ring around Ardyn. The boy himself landed behind him before turning._  
  
_Eyes still glowing, the boy spoke but one word._  
  
_"Break."_  
_  
__And the world turned to stone._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**In Which Bartz Refuses to Call Squall Leon**

Falling through time and space is not fun. Bartz would know. He had plenty of experience, with his adventures in the Void and those times he'd been recruited to stop psychotic all powerful deities.

Well, the latter was a bit iffy. Bartz hadn't realized it at the time(losing most of my memories does tend to skew your judgement), but to say Cosmos had been suspicious as hell was an understatement. Materia had been notably better, if only because Materia hadn't deemed their memories her property the same way Cosmos had.

Either way, they were falling. They hadn't managed to find any of the others before the world came to an end, and the only reason Bartz was still awake while getting flung through the dimensional matter that kept worlds separate was because this wasn't his first rodeo.

Or his second. Or his third.

Noct, though?

"Awe, he sleeps like a babe!" Bartz cooed.

Noctis responded by snoring.

Bartz responded by clutching harder to the teen.

"Man, this would be easier if you had your memories, buddy," Bartz muttered into Noctis' hair. "We definitely need to get them back. But not the way I got mine. No way. No. We'll find another way, mark my words."

Then, space twisted around them and-

With an oomph, Bartz back hit the stone hard floor, hard. Perched atop him like a goddamn cat, Noctis continued to sleep without a care in the world.

Bartz could only come to one conclusion: the Caelums were secretly cats that had taken human form. Looking around, Bartz realized they'd landed in an alley. Pushing Noctis off him gently, Bartz leaned his friend up against a conveniently placed crate.

Standing to his feet and stretching a bit, Bartz considered his options.

Destiny Islands had been torn to shreds by the Heartless in less than an hour, which implied one of two things: either they'd managed to find the heart of the world in literally record breaking time(which was terrifying, because if they could do it once, they could do it continuously), or…

Someone was controlling them.

Considering Ardyn had been there, Bartz was leaning on the latter. Ardyn had been there specifically for Noctis. That had been his goal. Faris had stood in the way, and Faris… Faris had paid the price.

Bartz had only barely managed to overpower Ardyn in the aftermath. Even then, he hadn't been able to kill Ardyn, just stop him temporarily. There was absolutely no way the seal Bartz had trapped Ardyn in would hold. He'd break out, and come after them again.

Which means they needed to move. They needed to move and they and they needed to find anyone else who'd been scattered when the world ended.

They also needed to find something to put Ardyn down perm…

Bartz shot a look at Noctis' prone figure. Ardyn's hissed words came to mind, replaying in Bartz' head like a chorus.

" _The boy who was suppose to put an end to all things. The boy who failed."_

Based on that, Noctis, in theory, could end Ardyn. Noctis, in theory, should be perfectly capable of it if they managed to restore his memories. He'd failed before, but that didn't change the fact that Ardyn had specifically stated Noctis could end him.

Except, Bartz wasn't stupid. He knew there would be a price to pay, although exactly what that price would be was beyond him.

First thing was first, though.

Where in the hell where they?

Looking around, Bartz easily came to obvious the conclusion that they'd somehow managed to land on another world.

"Destiny Island's falling must have opened up a dimensional rift and cast us out…" Bartz muttered to himself.

Bartz knew a bit about dimensional portal travel, and, based on that, he knew there must be at least one person either he or Noctis were close to here.

That's how it typically worked. These types of portals tied themselves to the heart, and lead you not to a place, but to a person. Looking down at Noctis, Bartz considered what to do next.

Noctis frowned in his sleep, twisting and turning, face lighting with fright. Kneeling down, Bartz let a hand trail through Noctis' hair as the other slept. Instantly, Noctis calmed.

"I won't go too far, buddy. Gotta find out where we are, 'Kay? Don't go to far now!" Bartz told Noctis before rising to his feet.

Okay. Worse came to worse, Bartz could defend himself. The same, obviously, could not be said of Noctis, so if Bartz was going to just leave him here he had to set up some sort of barrier.

"It's a good thing I have the White Mage job, or this would be even more of a pain," Bartz muttered to himself then winced at his own words.

Back home, each of the Elemental Crystals had chosen champions to be their guardians. While working together, the abilities were shared. As it was now, Bartz had the abilities from two of the crystals: Wind and Fire.

If he thought too long about why he now had a second innate set of skills, he's probably toss himself on the ground and cry his eyes out for a couple of hours straight. Which, for the record, Bartz was totally going to do once they had time to relax.

For now, though, Bartz just set up a barrier around Noctis before spinning and departing. He wouldn't go to far, and Noct was safe. And invisible. No way anything would find him.

Well, except spirit dogs, but who expects those?

* * *

The first thing Bartz found was an accessory shop. Well, there were a few other shops, but they all seemed closed, and these accessories looked kinda like the ones back home.

Aka, the kind that made you think you were in a video game because wearing them literally augmented some of your abilities.

Stepping through, Bartz looked around.

"Hello, how can I help you," a polite voice spoke. Well, polite was stretching it. It sounded like it was trying to be polite but hadn't quite managed it yet?

Either way, it was a voice Bartz recognized.

Bartz knew that voice. Bartz knew that voice, knew this man, and blinked. Blinked because… Huh?

"Cid? Well, one of the Cid's, anyways. I mean, I had a Cid and Celes had a Cid and Balthier actually refused to talk about his Cid, and Lightning's Cid was kinda wonky, but you're the badass Cid with the spear, right?" Bartz babbled.

Cid stared.

"Yeah! Yeah, I remember now!" Bartz nodded to himself, "You were one of Cloud's friends, and you had the same last name as Kain. No relation, I think, but the two of you acted like you'd been crossbreed with grasshoppers, I swear to Gaia," Bartz continued, and oh god, would someone stop him already? "I mean, when I go Dragoon I can jump pretty high, but you two? I was convinced half the time that you could actually fly and- hey!"

Bartz yelped as a spear appeared out of… Well, nowhere, really, and was aimed right at his throat.

"Who are you!" Cid demanded, voice having lost all pleasentry.

Bartz blinked. Cid should know who he was. He definitely didn't appear to have been deaged like he and Noctis had been.

"Your friendly neighborhood klutz?" Bartz offered.

The spear poked painfully at Barz throat. Well. It might have if Bartz hadn't covered himself in half a dozen protective enchantments.

"Try that again, kid. If you even are a kid." Cid said and Bartz couldn't even be offended by that since, despite physically being fourteen, he had the mind and memories of a man that had fought in more wars than he cared to count.

"Cid, this is why no one shops here, you keep threatening all your clientele," a voice spoke.

Bartz, ignoring the spear, turned. Turned, and lit up immediately.

"Squally!" Bartz cheered. Squall froze and, if Bartz had cared to notice, so had Cid. Bartz didn't particularly care to notice because, hello, Squall!

Accessing Ninja level speeds was not a skill one was supposed to abuse, but absolutely no one had ever accused Bartz of being responsible, and he wasn't about to start now.

As such, before Squall could even blink, Bartz had wrapped himself around the taller man like a koala bear on a tree. Squall instinctively clutched right back as Bartz shamelessly wrapped his legs around the other.

Most men would have toppled over. Most men weren't Leon and, surprise at the sudden move aside, Leon was more bewildered than anything else.

"Squall! Squall! You won't believe what happened! I think I died and got reborn or maybe I got deaged, I'm not really sure. But Terra was running this orphanage, except she calls herself Tina now, and I was in the orphanage! And everything was great, but then- then-" Bartz faltered.

"And then?" Squall gently coaxed.

Oh. Right. This is why Bartz liked Squall. He was quiet and stoic and didn't like to speak and his idea of a good time consisted of laying around and relaxing, but beneath it all there was a reason they'd all dubbed Squall the Team Mom.

Fingers tightening, Bartz spoke. He hoped his voice didn't sound as choked as he thought it did.

"Ardyn showed up. With an army of Heartless."

Squall tensing was unmistakable.

"He- he wanted Noct. And, normally, Noct could take him but I think he got reincarnated too 'cause he's young like me and he didn't remember and Ardyn, but that didn't matter to Ardyn because Ardyn is a dick who has no problem killing children, and-" Bartz stopped.

He couldn't… He couldn't say it. He couldn't even think it. Not even to Squall.

The second he said it out loud, it would be real.

The second he said it out loud, there'd be no going back.

And, frankly, Bartz did not have time for a goddamn breakdown.

Pulling back, Bartz smiled at Squall.

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I mean, I managed to turn him into a statue and then the Heartless blew up the planet, so he could literally be anywhere, but I hope he's stuck floating around in space because if anyone deserves that, its him."

Squall was staring at him. Squall was staring at him with concern, with care, and with… Complete and utter bewilderment.

An awkward silence hung in the shop.

"You… You don't remember anything about me, do you?" Bartz spoke.

"Nope," Squall acknowledged.

"Ah. This, uh. This is kinda awkward, then?"

"A little." Squall admitted.

"Only a little?" Bartz arched an eyebrow.

"A little," Squall affirmed before scowling at him. "My… head doesn't remember you, but my heart does. I think?"

Squall looked so utterly confused and lost and Bartz should not find that anywhere near as adorable as he did.

"Leon, I don't care what 'your heart' remembers, if you start making out with a teenage boy in my shop Imma shove this spear where the sun don't shine!" Cid announced. Loudly.

Bartz leaped up and spun, fists already half raised.

"Leon? Where is he! That asshole made Firion cry! _NO ONE MAKES FIRION CRY._ "

Cid stared at him blank.

"Ah… I'm Leon," Squall's voice sounded behind him.

Bartz blinked before looking back.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm Leon," Squall repeated. "I don't like being called 'Squall', not anymore."

Bartz gaped at him.

"What? Why not!"

Squall frowned at him.

"'Squall' is the name of a man who wasn't able to save his world. I refuse to go by it." Squall growled.

Yes. Squall. Because there was no way Bartz was going to call him 'Leon', even mentally.

"Really, Leonhart?" Bartz said. "I mean, so did I, and you don't see me changing my name!"

Never mind the fact that he'd once lived a life where everyone insisted his name was 'Butz' and literally no one had batted an eye.

"Anyways, I refuse, 'cause there's no way in hell I'm calling you the same name as Firion's bitchy brother. Nuh uh."

"I will _**not**_ respond to the name 'Squall'," Squall growled at him. "That is _**my**_ decision, not yours, and you don't have a say in it."

"I didn't say I would call you that name, even though it is your name," Bartz said and Squall twitched, "But I refuse to call you Leon on principle."

"Then what will you call me?" Squall sighed.

Bartz titled his head. Then, he eyed a familiar necklace, and the answer was easy.

"Griever!" Bartz decided.

Squall actually blanched.

"Gods, no."

"What? Why not! It's a badass name and you're wearing the pendant!"

"When you get attacked by a crazy sorceress wearing the living embodiment of your spirit guide, come talk to me."

"Ultimecia did what? I knew she was cray cray, but damn."

"How do you know about Ultimecia."

"Squally, I know all your secrets," Bartz boasted shamelessly. "I hoard them like a dragon hoards gold."

"Yet you didn't know about Griever," Squall pointed out dryly.

Bartz clutched a hand to his chest.

"The secrets, the lies, the deceptions you have done! My soul cries out in agony, for you have taken my heart, and stomped on it!"

"You don't have a heart, Bartz, all you and Zidane do is get me in trouble, I swear to-" Squall froze.

"Yes!" Bartz squealed, jumping in excitement. "You remembered something, huh? Wait, of course you did, I didn't tell you my name and I sure as hell didn't tell you Zidane's!"

"I- maybe a little," Squall said, then frowned. "Did… Did you and Zidane once prank Sephiroth? Oh god, you pranked Sephiroth and he tried to meteor us, you insane little-"

"DON'T REMEMBER THAT!" Bartz exclaimed, shaking his hands at Squall's face. "And that was Zidane!" Bartz unrepentantly tossed his friend under the bus. Zidane wasn't even here, so it was fine. Then, Bartz pouted. "He didn't invite me."

"That is not helping your case," Squall told him bluntly.

"I am beyond help," Bartz confessed, then froze. With a tilt of his head, Bartz gazed towards the exit. "The alarm spell I set on Noct just triggered, so either he's awake or someone stumbled upon him, but either way I need to go check on him."

Bartz took one step towards the door, before stopping. Spinning, he shot Squall a look.

"Stay here. Er. Please stay here?"

Squall, to Bartz' relief, just nodded. Smiling, Bartz made his way out of the shop. Bartz had to assume Squall was what had drawn them here, which was a little weird but either way, Bartz would go with it.

And find a nickname for Squall, because he was not calling him Leon, and absolutely no one was going to convince him of doing so, thank you very much.

* * *

Leon was not entirely sure what had just happened.

"I didn't take you for a cradle robber, Leonhart," Cid drawled.

Leon could be forgiven for decking him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](https://unknownunseenunheard.tumblr.com/)


	2. Or, The One Where Bartz Needs Professional Help and Tries to Pretend Otherwise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Refer to chapter title

A/N: Hello :p

This chapter's short but it felt complete sooo I'm leaving it as is

Y'all can guess who the mystery person is, although I seriously doubt anyone will get it.

I shall provide clues: 1) Final Fantasy character, 2) has not shown up in a Kingdom Hearts game yet and 3) Wind

Published: 6/6/2019

Warnings: A character on the verge of having a mental breakdown while trying to unsuccessfully pretend they aren't

Featured Character:

Noctis

Bartz

Supporting:

Squall | Leon | Griever

Cid Highwind

Antagonist:

None

* * *

 

** Chapter 2 **

**Or, The One Where Bartz Needs Professional Help and Tries to Pretend Otherwise**

Noctis woke to a tongue in the face. Yelping, the teenager's eyes shot open as he came fully awake.

The sight before him was not one he'd have expected in a thousand years, mostly because he'd forgotten all about it, but details.

"Pryna?" Noctis gasped, hand reaching out towards the snow white dog.

Pryna barked at him once before backing away, dashing away before Noctis could properly gauge his bearing.

Wha… Where was he?

Sitting up, Noctis looked around. This was definitely a town he didn't recognize, that was for sure. And, what was he doing behind a crate. And, more importantly, where was-

"NOCT!"

Noctis was knocked over as Bartz tackled him. Ah. There he was.

"Noct, Noct, Noct- Squall's here! I mean, he hates that I call him Squall but I'm gonna do that anyways because there's no way I'm calling him Leon, that reminds of Firion's bitchy brother, but it's Squall and things are finally looking up!"

It was good to know Bartz Klauser could still babble a mile a minute, even after all the drama they'd been through in the last couple of hours.

Still… The question remained.

"Who the hell is Squall? … And did you really leave me here behind this crate while you went and explored?"

Bartz leaned back and pouted. Actually pouted. Noctis was having a really hard time reconciling the fact that the teen sitting on top of him with virtually no concept of personal space was the same guy who'd ruthlessly torn Ardyn Izunia apart with his bare hands.

"Oh, right. You wouldn't remember. Okay, this one time, me and you and Squall and a bunch of others got summoned by some crazy goddess lady and-" Bartz began.

Noctis placed a single finger over Bartz' lips. The teen blinked before a mischievous look lit in his eyes. Noctis yelped as Bartz licked him.

"GET. OFF!" Noctis cried, kicking the other teen off of him.

Bartz laughed, not even bothering to pretend the hit had hurt before doing as Noctis said. Reaching out a hand, Bartz helped Noctis to his feet.

"Okay, but really, we need to get going because Squall kinda remembers me, but not really, and I don't wanna go back and face Cid all alone because Cid threatened me with a spear because he's a grumpy old coot in any incarnation." Bartz said.

Noctis blinked. He could see Cid swinging around a wrench, but a spear? Then again, Cid had upgraded a dozen of their weapons, so...

"I… Suppose that makes sense," Noctis conceded, "But since when does Cid have a spear?"

A second passed. Two seconds. Three.

"You had a Cid too!" Bartz exclaimed, pointing wildly. Noctis did not jump. He didn't. It's a lie. "It's a conspiracy, I tell you! I had a Cid, you had a Cid, every world had its own Cid! Who could possibly be behind this?" Bartz asked.

Noctis stared.

"I… I don't have the energy, Bartz. Let's just go meet your friend," Noctis said.

Grinning widely, Bartz beamed.

"Okay!"

Then, spinning around, the other teen lead the way.

Noctis followed, a bit disturbed. Bartz… Bartz was acting pretty cheery. A bit too cheery.

Bartz had described Faris' death as an awakening. Watching her die had triggered something in the back of his mind, in his heart, in his soul that had shot a surge of pure power through him. Whatever it had triggered, it had given him the strength to overpower Ardyn.

Well, partially. Faris had already given Ardyn a pretty good beating before he managed to get the upper hand on her. Sure, the guy couldn't die, but he didn't have unlimited stamina either, and Faris had literally taken his head off.

Still, Faris had fallen and Bartz… Bartz had gone downright psychotic to the point where darkness had been literally seeping from him, bleeding out in wisps of dark smoke.

Yet here he was, cheery eyed, all smiles and laughs, only a few hours later.

Noctis could only come to one conclusion: Bartz was burying the pain. Burying the hurt. Pretending it wasn't there, suppressing it. It was going to come out, Noctis knew. It was going to explode eventually, and, frankly, the concept of the whole thing terrified him.

Bartz had enough raw magical power to bend the elements to his will. He didn't want to see someone with that much strength completely out of control.

He didn't want to see a friend so out of control.

* * *

 

Squall was, thankfully, still waiting in Cid's shop when Bartz came back with Noctis in tow.

"Griever! Good. You waited." Bartz beamed.

Squall blanched. Cid snickered.

"I told you not to call me that." Squall proclaimed.

"I won't call you that other name," Bartz insisted. "Trust me, if you remembered Firion, and how Leon made him cry, you wouldn't want it either."

Squall twitched.

"I very much doubt it."

"Firion was a sweetheart," Bartz continued on. "Have you ever met a war veteran who's watched entire towns get burned down to ashes, and his response is wanting to plant flowers everywhere? That man was too pure for this world."

Squall blinked.

"And this… 'Leon' person made a gardener cry?"

"He swore his allegiance to a creepy demonically empowered Dark Lord. Although, I think there was mind control involved, so it wasn't entirely consensual? I'm a bit iffy on the details. Annnnd, on that note," Bartz spun towards Noctis. Taking the other teen's hand in his own, Bartz held it between his own and squeezed. "Thank you."

"Huh? For what?" Noctis said, snatching his hand back.

"For helping pull me back. I… I was ready to embrace the Darkness, and you pulled me out of it. So, thank you."

Noctis was ninety percent certain Bartz had pulled himself out of the darkness since his attempts to get the other to calm down hadn't had any affect at all, but he wasn't about to call Bartz a liar to his face.

Noctis had a little more tact than that.

"I-" Noctis began.

"Mind explaining what you mean by that?" Squall's voice cut in, a mix of weariness and concern.

Bartz turned.

"I lost… Someone important. She meant everything to me, and I… I couldn't even remember her properly, not until she was gone," Bartz' voice had gone soft, cracking towards the end. Then, without warning, Bartz did a complete 180, suddenly as bright as the sun. "Okay, let's change the subject now! This is way too dreary and this is a happy occasion!" Bartz exclaimed, grinning widely.

Squall, however, did not return it. Instead, he frowned.

"Kid, whatever it is, you obviously need to talk about it."

"Griever, I don't wanna talk about it, so please drop it," Bartz gave Squall a pleasant smile.

It sent a few chills down Noctis' back.

Squall, apparently, didn't get the memo.

"We need to talk about it if it almost resulted in you giving in to the darkness," Squall said firmly. "That's serious. The more darkness you radiate, the more the Heartless will be drawn to you. We need to fix it before it gets out of ha-"

"Come back to me when you can hear Rinoa's name without flinching violently," Bartz interrupted cheerfully and Squall, true to the words, jerked back in surprise, shock splayed across his features.

Noctis knew it was serious when the store owner, who so far had only looked back and forth in amusement, shot Bartz a wide eyed look of pure disbelief.

Bartz froze.

"Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, that- okay, yeah, that was uncalled for."

Squall didn't answer. Instead, he turned towards the counter, hands leaning upon it, and gripped it tight.

Cid eyed him wearily as the knuckle white grip started to crack the wood. Jaw set and face pale, Squall didn't say anything.

Bartz wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing.

"Okay, look, I'm just gonna go for a walk and try and clear my head for a bit before either of us say something we don't really mean agai-"

"You definitely sounded like you meant it," Squall interrupted coldly.

"Nope, nope. Not gonna get into it with you, nuh uh. I'm getting some air." Bartz declared before turning to Noctis. "You can either come with me, or-"

"I think you need some time alone," Noctis pointed out.

Bartz didn't even bother correcting him.

Noctis turned to look at Cid.

"If it's alright with you, Mr… I didn't get your name?" Noctis said.

"That's Cloud's Cid." Bartz introduced.

"I ain't anyone's damn Cid, kid." Cid replied, slightly annoyed. "And, the other kid can stay; hell, you can too. I'm not in the business of tossing children to curve, even if they are annoying."

Bartz tossed his hands up.

"Okay, you know what, I'm going before I say something else. Toodles!"

Noctis blinked.

"Toodles?" he repeated.

Bartz, however was not listening. In fact, Bartz was already gone, practically vanishing in a swirl of wind.

Noctis blinked. Squall let out a deep breath and relaxed a bit.

Noctis swore he could hear a cricket chirping.

"So… Any good spots to fish around here?" Noctis decided to break the ice. The incredulous stares he got back in return were totally worth it.

* * *

Bartz huffed as he waltzed off.

"Okay, okay, I need to calm down a bit here, need to breathe, need to… Break something, god, yeah, break something. Or someone. Except not someone, because it's not nice to break people, so I need to-"

Bartz monologue was interrupted as he walked into the local plaza… Only to find it swarming with Heartless.

Bartz titled his head.

"Yep. Exactly what the doctor ordered."

As Bartz tossed himself in combat against the Heartless without a second thought, he never noticed the figure watching him from the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](https://unknownunseenunheard.tumblr.com/)


End file.
